SVEN-Goran Eriksson admitted he would be prepared to play a half-fit David Beckham and Michael Owen in this summer's Euro 2004 finals as he confronted the latest injury crisis ahead of a friendly.

England are without not only Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Woodgate, Gary Neville, Steven Gerrard and Sol Campbell for tonight's friendly in Portugal, but also Darius Vassell and John Terry, who joined the absentee list yesterday.

Vassell became ill overnight at the team hotel, while Terry aggravated a shin injury in training, meaning Ledley King is now set to start alongside Gareth Southgate in central defence.

Indeed, given that it is a back-four which could also include Danny Mills, while a host of second-half substitutions are expected, this is another friendly in which Eriksson can only learn so much.

However, as he once again pits his wits against Portugal coach Luis Felipe Scolari, the man who led Brazil to World Cup success in 2002, it has again underlined the integral importance of Owen and Beckham.

Fitness fight

In the World Cup quarter-final defeat by Brazil neither was fully fit but Eriksson simply had to take a risk.

He has no regrets about that decision and, while he fervently hopes not to have to confront the problem this summer, the Swede would be unlikely to change his approach if faced with it again.

"If you have Beckham and Owen, it's very difficult to put them out of a game or tournament like that. It's not a secret for any England fan that they are very important for us," he admitted.

"Michael Owen is our best goalscorer and has been for many years. The importance of Beckham on the pitch is also huge. If I played that game again, I should use both of them from the start.

"I just hope that we don't have any major injuries or half-injuries before the Euro 2004 finals."

It is for that reason Eriksson is unwilling to take a risk on any player's fitness for a friendly like the game in Faro.

"I am convinced that I shouldn't use Sol Campbell, Gary Neville or John Terry in a friendly when they played three games last week and they're struggling," he added.

"Sol hasn't hardly trained between games so why should I make the situation worse for him? It's not perfect for England but it's better like that.

"I always said that the Premier League season is very tough, there are many games, all of them, and the pace is incredible.

"I don't know if it's tougher to win a tournament with England than any other country but just ask the French manager what he thinks.

"France did not do very well at the last World Cup and, according to their coaches, one of the reasons for that was too many Premier League players."

Eriksson is therefore prepared to play his first-choice line-up for 45 minutes before starting the substitutions, with Alan Smith now set to be involved from the bench after Vassell's withdrawal.

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